For some minutes, excess of terrour robbed Juliet of speech, and of all power of exertion; but when, by the cares and soothings of Gabriella, she was, in some degree, restored, 'Oh my beloved friend!' she cried, 'we must part again,--immediately part!' A tear stole down the cheek of Gabriella as she heard this annunciation; but she offered no remonstrance; she permitted herself no enquiry; her eye alone said, 'Why, why this!' Juliet saw, but shrunk from this mute eloquence, hastily arranging herself for going out; making up a packet of linen to carry in her hand, and hanging a loaded work-bag upon her arm. Casting herself, then, into the arms of her friend, 'Oh my Gabriella,' she cried, 'I must fly,--instantly fly!--or entail a misery upon the rest of my existence too horrible for description! Whither,--which way to go, I know not,--but I must be hidden from all mankind!--To-morrow I will write to you;--constantly I will write to you,--dear, generous, noblest of friends, farewell, farewell!' They embraced, mingled their tears, embraced again, and separated. CHAPTER LXXI Her head bowed low; her bonnet drawn over her eyes; ignorant what course she took, and earnest only to discover any inlet into the country by which she might immediately quit the town; Juliet, with hurried footsteps, and trembling apprehensions, became again a Wanderer. She passed through various streets, but, unacquainted with London, read, without any aid to her purpose, their names, till, printed in large characters, her eyes were struck with the word Piccadilly; and, presently, she was accosted by an ordinary man, who had a long whip in his hand, and who, holding open the door of a carriage, asked whether she would have a cast; saying that he was ready to set off immediately. Finding that the vehicle was a stage-coach, she eagerly accepted the proposal, and seated herself next to an elderly woman. The man demanded whether she meant to go all the way. She answered in the affirmative; and, to her inexpressible satisfaction, was driven out of London. Not to risk discovering to her fellow-travellers so extraordinary a circumstance, as that of beginning an excursion in utter ignorance where it might end, she forbore asking any questions; and left to the time of her alighting at the spot to which the stage was destined, her own acquaintance with her local situation. It was not, therefore, till she descended from the coach, that she found that she had taken the road to Bagshot. The immediate plan which, in her way, she had formed, was to enter the first shop that she saw open; thence to write to Gabriella; and then to stroll on to the nearest village, and lodge herself in the first clean cottage which could afford her a room.